God Does Not Tire of Us

Those of you who have listened very long to this Web cast or read my book, Mind Change, know that I find in the Old Testament Psalms some of my greatest encouragement and inspiration. I decided at the beginning of this year to read one psalm each day and make some notes as I went along. I am almost finished with the 150 readings.

God's Nearness

Because of my study of the kingdom of God (as in “the kingdom of God is near”—Mark 1:15), I recently studied the way the word “near” is used in the Scriptures. I quickly found that in various places it is not used to mean that something is close but not yet here.

Take Heart

I am writing these words on a day when physically I am quite depleted. Two physically and emotionally challenging weeks have taken their toll. A good night’s sleep hasn’t done much to relieve the fatigue. My legs are stubbornly refusing to work. The pain is persistent.

Trump Card

Welcome to a Mind Change Summer Encore

Trump Card

According to The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, here is the definition of a trump card: “the suit designated as having precedence over the others. In general, it is something capable of making a decisive difference when used at the right moment” as in ‘The prosecutor played her trump card by calling a surprise witness.’”

There have been more than a few times in my life when I did not like the hand I was dealt. It looked like there were too many things against me, and I found my unreliable emotions taking a dip. But in those times, I have learned something. I have learned that God has given us the ultimate trump card.

Without using the term, I think I was getting at this in several of the power thoughts in my book, Mind Change.

Number 13 says, “Relax. Your God Reigns.” Number 15 says, “In all things God works for your good.”  Number 19 says “ Be ‘unreasonably,’ ‘illogically’ joyful because your name is written in heaven.”

You see no matter what hand we are dealt, how ugly it looks, or how challenging it feels, God still reigns. He is still at work for our good, and we can still rejoice because our names are written in heaven, no matter how illogical such joy might appear to someone looking at us in our trial.

If the hand you are dealt looks pretty crummy and the opponent across the table thinks he has you, just remember that you have something from God capable of making a decisive difference. Use it in those defining moments.